


L'Amour, Voyage, Bonheur

by certkpopjunkie



Series: Crossroads [3]
Category: EXO (Band), f(x)
Genre: Age Difference, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Romance, Smut, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, Werewolves, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-22 12:47:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21076883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/certkpopjunkie/pseuds/certkpopjunkie
Summary: Krystal is a vampire who is over two-hundred years old. Kai is an eighteen-year-old boy who just found out he’s a werewolf. They shouldn’t get along, or fall in love, but they do.





	1. Foreword

**Author's Note:**

> AFF: https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/1474318  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/certkpopjunkie
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!

Since, I'm a Vampire Diaries fan, I'm mostly following the rules of vampires, werewolves, and witches from that series. All the information can be found on The Vampire Diaries' Wiki page. There may be some differences, but that's okay because this is my own world. I'm just using that lore as a basis for this story. ◕‿◕

Originally, the villain in this story was a character named after Sulli, however I have decided to change the name of that character to Sua, so as to bear no resemblance whatsoever to Choi Jin-ri, the real-life Sulli who never should have been painted as a villain by anyone for any reason, including a dumb fanfiction by someone who didn't even know her. I never considered Jin-ri herself to be a villain, but I wanted to include her in the story and she happened to end up being the model--only physically--for the villain. To be clear, the characters in this story are only modeled after their namesakes physically so as to put a face to a name in a story, but they do not reflect the actual people in terms of their personalities and my opinion and feelings towards these people and the characters are completely separate. I just didn't want to be misunderstood nor write Jin-ri as a villain, especially after all the hate she experienced in her life. Please rest easily, peach. You will be missed, but I feel better knowing you're in a much better, much nicer, much more beautiful place than this despicable Earth.


	2. Le Froid Glacial d'un Cimetière

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sua reminisces on her memories of Krystal before receiving a rude awakening...

**The Bitter Cold of a Cemetery**

** October 2004 **

I can't help but wonder what life would be like if she were still here.

As I stand in silence, looking down at that slab of rock engraved with her name, I can almost see her. Those pretty brown eyes, sparkling and opened wide. Her silky, chestnut-brown hair, usually just hanging down past her shoulders, effortlessly perfect. Her smooth, porcelain-like skin that never showed any sign of damage. The damage was only on the inside, in her mind, the little imperfections and fears that she never let anyone see. She didn't even want me to see them, but I did. Telepathy was an ability I had mastered decades ago.

"Sua, can we go now?" The voice of my little companion, the light of my existence, came across clearly, even in the intense wind threatening to blow the colorful flowers sitting on all of these graves away. "It's cold and the sun's starting to go down. You know what they say about the nighttime..."

Of course, I know about the superstitions ingrained in Luna's mind, the ones her Elders made sure stuck, even at the young age of two. I also knew that those superstitions weren't just fabricated by the Elders to make children listen, but Luna couldn't know. Not yet.

"Luna, what have I told you about—"

"Yeah, I get it, they're just myths." she sighed, looking down at the dead grass beneath her feet. I bent over and hit the back of her hand and she pouted. "I'm sorry I interrupted you, Sua. I'm just scared of the dark."

"I know, Lu, but you have to face your fears." Still, five minutes later we were sitting in the car, the only sounds being the whistle of the wind outside and the dead leaves scraping against the asphalt. Luna sat in the backseat, playing a game on the hand-held game device I'd given her for her birthday.

"Sua...?" she whispered, pausing her game. Every time we got ready to leave the cemetery, Luna tried to ask about why we were here. She hasn't ever been able to ask me any of these questions because I refuse to say anything, but tonight I'm feeling a bit sentimental, so I don't immediately tell her to stop. "Whose grave is that?"

I smile, turning around to look at her. Her face is full of excitement, noticing that I actually let her ask. "It's Krystal's grave."

"Who's Krystal?" she asked, looking out the window toward the grave but not being able to really see it in the darkness.

"Krystal _was_ my friend. My best friend." I answered, letting her take her time asking questions.

"When did she die?"

"A long time ago." I wouldn't tell her when, but I wanted to be as honest with her as possible.

"Why did she die? Was it because of a cold – or maybe the flu? Was it the flu?" she asked, growing even more excited because I was answering questions, even though the topic was anything but happy.

"No, it wasn't the flu. I'm not sure _exactly_ why, but it wasn't the flu." I replied. I had a few guesses as to what killed Krystal, but, again, Luna couldn't know yet. She's too young. There were only a handful of ways that Krystal could be killed a second time.

In the silence before she asks anything else, my cell _dinged_ with a text message from a number I didn't know: _Where are you?_

"Hold on a second, Luna, someone has the wrong number." I straightened out in my seat and texted back: _I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number._

The response was immediate: _No, I don't. Where are you? Are you at her grave?_

No one else knew about Krystal's grave and this number isn't easy to get: _Who is this?_

_An old friend. Hold on._

My cell phone began ringing, the number I had been texting now calling me. Curious, I answered. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Look, I can't really text right now. It takes too long." On the other end of the line, I could hear many voices in the background, as well as the sound of traffic and footsteps. The voice itself, belonging to a girl, sounded vaguely familiar. "I just wanted to tell you that she isn't dead. That's not her in the grave."

"What are you talking about?" Not her grave? She isn't dead? This made no sense because I saw the body myself.

"The grave isn't Krystal's. She's alive." The line suddenly went dead.

All of my suspicions from that night resurfaced. I remembered how they wouldn't let me see her for long, how they buried her so quickly. I remembered not being able to really tell it was her because her face was destroyed beyond recognition. When I heard the scream, the _thud _of a body hitting the floor, went in to find her body, I assumed the man who had been in there with her had done it, staked her through the heart. I killed him within seconds, not bothering to ask questions. I still regret not giving him the chance to speak, to explain. I remember how the body smelled so unfamiliar, so unlike her, but I just chalked it up to the man having been all over her.

It was all coming back to me and it all started making less and less sense. I got out of the car, Luna calling after me but not being able to unlock the door for herself and follow. I stalked over to that stone, taking in the rushed simplicity of it, engraved only with her name. _KRYSTAL_. They buried her so quickly so I wouldn't find out.

Suddenly, I was on my knees, clawing at the earth with my fingernails. Luna was screaming in the car, noticing that I was moving too quickly and making too much progress to be normal. Part of me felt terrible for letting her see this side of me without any warning, but the other part of me was enraged at the thought of being made a fool.

I kept clawing at the ground, making the hole wide enough so I could open the box up, until I hit the smooth, polished wood of her casket, punching through and letting the smell of decay hit me right in the face. I breathed in deeply, the scent of a body that had been buried for over six decades. She was little more than a skeleton with a few pieces of flesh still hanging on here and there. I destroyed the skeleton, breaking bones and scattering them around in the coffin, knowing for sure that I had been deceived because a vampire's dead body would still be perfectly mummified even sixty years later.

Fifteen minutes later, once I had calmed down a bit, I walked back to the car. Luna was still screaming in the backseat, tears streaming down her face in pure terror as I came closer. She'd realized I was exactly what her Elders had warned her about all those years ago. She was screaming incomprehensible things, trying her best to get away from me in the small space of the car. I just held her by the shoulders, trying to stay calm so I could do what needed to be done.

I knew Luna couldn't remember this, but I also knew that I couldn't continue to pretend my life was happy anymore. I loved Luna more than anything, but love isn't enough. She isn't even my own blood. The closest thing I had to that was Krystal and I'd believed she was dead for more than half a century. I was broken, but I rebuilt myself, and now I was broken again. And Krystal didn't even care.

My love for Luna wasn't enough. The need for revenge was stronger than my love for her. In my head, my thoughts were running through my head so fast that I can't keep up, but I quickly sort them out. A plan begins to form, a plan that would make Krystal feel just as betrayed as I felt in this moment. Luna would meet Krystal, befriend her, and she wouldn't remember me... until I wanted her to. When the time is right, I will find Luna again, make her remember me, and have her betray Krystal. She will choose me over Krystal because I have raised her, I have become her only family. When the time is right, she will know that. In the end, she will kill Krystal for me, hating her for the lies she has made me believe, just as I do. It will be the ultimate betrayal and it will be my revenge. I will destroy Krystal. I'm just not sure how yet.

A month later, I'm ready to send Luna off. After enlisting the help of a clairvoyant, I knew Krystal would be settling down in the city of Evergreen, one of her favorite places. This is where I would send Luna tomorrow. Krystal is a vampire, thus she will want the extra security of having a witch around, for protection and magical help, if needed. This is the way it has always been with vampires and witches, agreeing to help each other for mutual benefit. I'm just hoping that they become close, inseparable.


	3. Des Décennies de Tromperie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amber makes a mistake...

**DECADES OF DECEPTION**

** October 2004 **

"What have you done?" I asked, grabbing the phone out of Amber's hand and throwing it down on the pavement, instantly breaking it into pieces.

"What you've been doing is wrong. She cares about you, Krys. It's been sixty years, she's probably a totally different person by now. She probably regrets what she did every day and wishes she could just apologize to you."

"'Probably' this and 'probably' that – we don't know that, Amber." I sighed, still angry but knowing I couldn't change what had happened. "I thought you were there when she was letting men pay her for the chance to rape me. She was selling me every night, keeping me weak so I couldn't fight back –"

"Yes, I was there, Krys, but I also know that Sua isn't a complete monster. She always felt guilty afterward." Amber reasoned, trying to make me see how I was wrong for faking my death to get away from someone who only pretended to love me so she could make money off of me.

"Not enough to stop selling me! Oh, and you haven't even seen her in sixty years! You have no idea what she's like now." I shook my head, telling myself that I had the right to be angry, to never want to see Sua again. "Apparently, she's been wasting time going to a grave that she thought was mine, only to find out that I haven't been dead for all this time. She is going to _kill me_. Literally."

"Krys, if she's been visiting your grave, it means she misses you," Amber said, still not understanding just how bad things were for me. She knows about the things Sua let happen to me, she knows I hate all of it, but she still believes that I can forgive that monster just because she's been visiting my grave.

"That's exactly why she'll kill me. You know she _hates_ being lied to. She's going to see it as me making her look like a fool." I started walking again, adjusting my sunglasses a bit. Amber and I were out in Paris and that day was an unusually sunny day and the irony was not lost on me. On such a rare, beautiful day, Amber made such an ugly mistake.

"First of all, I doubt she'd kill you. Second of all, why do you have to be so pessimistic? Third, she's not exactly wasting time if she's never going to run out of it. She's immortal." Amber seemed annoyed, but I could sense there was a bit of fear in her voice, as well. She wasn't exactly innocent as she had helped me fake my death all those years ago, she has lied for me.

"I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being _real_istic. I knew Sua for over two hundred years and she has stabbed so many people in the back – people she truly cared about. Sua has no sense of loyalty, no humanity left. I'm telling you, Amber, she will at _least_kill me, if not both of us." I finished, turning away from her and walking a bit faster.

Amber didn't try to catch up with me, because there was nothing left to say. She knew she had sealed both of our fates with that phone call.


	4. Transformation de Retour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven years later, Krystal attends the homecoming game with Amber and Luna only to make a shocking discovery...

**HOMECOMING TRANSFORMATION**

** September 27, 2017 – ELEVEN YEARS LATER **

Simply put, I am a vampire who has lived for over two-hundred years. I live in Evergreen, the same little town where I was born on October 24, 1815. My best friend is a girl I met just a month or so ago, named Luna, who is actually a witch. I am in high school for about the twentieth time, so the festivities surrounding homecoming aren’t new to me, nor exciting, but this is Luna’s first (and probably last) senior year of high school, so I’m trying not to be such a downer. Even if I was, she has enough school spirit for the two of us.

Luna wants to go to homecoming. I don’t really care for it, but she’s my best friend and I want her to enjoy her life while she can because my last best friend informed our enemy that I am not as dead as she once believed, which would mean Luna is being endangered just associating with me. This doesn’t seem to bother her, though, because she took the stories of my past in stride. Being a seventeen-year-old witch, Luna doesn’t exactly fear much… yet.

“Do you think we’ll win?” I ask her, rummaging through my locker until I find my student ID, getting ready to swipe it in the lunch line. For whatever reason, I’m starving today – not for blood, but for _food_. At least, I think I’m craving food. It can be hard to tell, seeing as my diet mostly consists of type A blood; it’s the best, in my opinion, and always runs smoothly through my veins. I suppose my blood was type A when I was still generating it myself. Back then, we didn’t even know there were different blood types. I’ll never know.

Luna thinks for a second, actually thinking back to the past few games that have already been played this year. Evergreen has reigned supreme; it would a shame if our streak was broken on the night of homecoming. “I think we will. We have a strong team this year.” Luna replies, optimistic.

“And do you want to go?” I ask casually, pretending I don’t know that Luna has been planning what she’ll wear to the game since Monday.

She looks at me, cautious, but she ultimately just smiles and says, “Yeah, I do. This is my senior year and homecoming is _huge_. At least, I think it is. It’s always a big point in high school movies. And it’s a full moon tonight, so bonus!” She giggles, linking her arm with mine as we walk down the hallway.

For some people, homecoming definitely is ‘huge’, but for others, it’s just another night, another football game they won’t go to. There wasn’t such a thing as homecoming when I was seventeen, much less football – at least, the American kind. What we played didn’t exactly have a name when I was growing up, sometimes called _tsu-chu _like in China or _kemari _in Japan, but the children in my village would kick around a ball of sorts stuffed with animal hair and cork, similar to soccer (or actual football).

“Then we’ll go.” I say, trying to seem nonchalant but failing because Luna is grabbing onto me and jumping up and down a bit, making other students stare as we pass.

“Really? You’ll go with me?” She’s excited and loud, so I tone back my hearing a bit to compensate, not having the heart to shush her.

A figure jumps in front of us, waving its arms around and making sounds like a monkey. “Go where?”

“Oh, Amber!” Luna jumps again, but mostly because she was startled.

“Don’t even pretend you didn’t hear our entire conversation, Amber.” I groan, having known she was following us and waiting for the right moment to pounce.

“Yeah, I did, actually. I never thought I’d see you go to another game, Krys.” Amber teased, elbowing me a bit.

Ah, yes, and this is the ‘last best friend’ I had. Amber and I are still on pretty good terms, but we have grown distant since she called Sua, another vampire who I’m sure will come to kill me one of these days. I’m still not sure why she told her that I was still alive, but if I have ever known Amber, I know that she isn’t good at keeping her brain and her heart separated. A huge mistake that will probably end in our bloody deaths.

Yet, we stay on good terms throughout the rest of the day, on into the homecoming game. At this point, we’ve gotten pretty skilled at pretending we’re okay. On the inside, though, neither of us are even close to being whole and we never will be again… at least, that’s what I keep telling myself.

I’ve never been one to follow sports very closely, so much so that the only times I cheered during the football game were when everyone else on our side of the field was cheering. I kept asking Luna what was going on, why they were running back and forth so much, why they had to keep starting over, and she answered my questions as best she could. Luna isn’t really a sports fan, either, but she’s a bit more familiar with football than I am. Amber, meanwhile, was the first to cheer, not needing queues from the rest of the crowd, which didn’t surprise me at all. I was right by her side when she was coaching a football team back in 1970 in the States, compelling her way into the position because society couldn’t handle a woman being the coach of a men’s football team. The only reason why she didn’t go in the books is that no one can actually remember her, their memories mostly blurry recollections thanks to a witch we knew at the time.

Even though I don’t know much about sports, I do know a good bit about the football team after listening to Luna talking about some standouts throughout the game. I couldn’t really see their faces behind the helmets, but I knew these boys were the stereotypical cream of the crop in terms of appearance and, apparently, speed, strength, and stamina judging by the scores they’ve made so far this season. I’m also pretty good at remembering names and numbers, at least until the game ends when I will discard the useless information.

With just a few seconds left in overtime, one of the boys takes off down the field, running like his life depends on it. Luna gasps, realizing he’s the best quarterback on the team and his absence could very well lose them the game.

“What is he doing?” Amber yells along with everyone else. “Which one is that, Luna?”

Below us, the coach makes the last minute call to put in 94, who is a new member to the team as of this year. Luna never answers Amber’s question, instead staring down at the field with a shocked expression. “_Oh Sehun_? He just put in Sehun? Sehun just made the team this year, easily their weakest player – what is he thinking?”

My attention is still mostly on the quarterback still running away from the field. For whatever reason, I can’t look away. But he’s gone soon enough and I have to look back at the field where the last play is underway, the seconds counting down on the scoreboard. Though he really shouldn’t be, or maybe it’s just a big risk, Oh Sehun starts running toward the end zone. Other players were right behind him, trying to tackle him left and right, but he just weaved through them without stumbling once, seeming to not see anything but the end of the field about ten feet away from him.

He closes in fast, almost superhuman, but obviously not. For humans, he’s running fast. It’s probably fueled by the fear of failing. He crosses the last white line, slamming the football down in the end zone – and the time is out. But he made it, amazingly enough. And then there is complete chaos all around me, the people who had been sitting jumping to their feet while the ones who stood long ago running toward the field. Luna and Amber get caught up in the crowd, which is fine by me because I can’t forget about the other boy who ran away looking so fearful.

The last time I saw him, he was rounding the corner of the restroom building, so that’s exactly where I go. It takes me about a minute to get there, though it’s across the entire field, and I laugh to myself because football would be _so easy_. At least, from what I’ve seen…

When I peek around the corner, there are two males shoving each other; the football player, number 88, and another guy dressed in all black. I’m immediately confused, but their conversation seems to pick back up quickly.

“I’m tired of it, Jae! I’m not giving you any more money, so you can leak whatever you want to!” the quarterback growled, pushing the other guy, presumably Jae (AN: who isn’t anyone in particular, so don’t get triggered!), back. He is angry, furious, and I can almost feel that intense energy in my bones.

“Oh, really? You don’t wanna pay me anymore, kid?” Jae says through gritted teeth. He seems to be in pain, but that doesn’t stop him from punching the quarterback squarely on the cheek. I hear the crack of bone against bone, but that’s mostly due to my superior hearing. The football player flies backward, his back hitting up against the cool bricks of the restrooms. “That’s really not what I was hoping to hear.”

Jae steps over him, the sound of a pocket knife clicking into place clear as a bell to my ears, but the football player only realizes it’s a part of the equation once he sees it in front of his face, quickly gently pressed against his neck. I didn’t think I would want to reveal myself, let alone get involved, but I can’t just stand back and watch this boy die.

“Stop!” I command, stepping around the corner. Jae looks at me, his eyes wide in astonishment.

“Great, now there’ll be two bodies to di—” he starts, but the football player quickly kicks the guy’s knee, knocking him down, his shoes squeaking against the wet grass from the rain earlier. He doesn’t stop rolling, continuing down the hill grunting every time his body comes in contact with the ground until his head hits a tree trunk at the bottom with tremendous force. The sound of his skull cracking, the insides squishing just a bit, is clear to me, again, but the football player doesn’t realize what he’s done.

He moves to start carefully walking down the hill, to check on this guy who was ready to kill him just a moment ago. I grab him, startling him. He seemed to have forgotten I was even there. “Don’t.”

“Why not?” he asks, completely clueless as he also can’t see the sight of the other guy’s lifeless body through the darkness.

“He’s dead.” I say, getting ready to compel this away because I can feel that he isn’t the kind who could let this go easily.

“_What_?” he asks, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. “How do you—” Suddenly, he doubles over, letting out what sounds like a howl. The heart that still beats in my chest is suddenly in my throat.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, hoping against all hope that this isn’t what I think it is.

“I don’t—” he tries to respond, but his voice cracks as he falls back, gripping his leg. “My bones are breaking!” he exclaims, expecting death any minute.

_Fuck_. “Hold on.” I put my hands under his armpits and he looks completely shocked, and I easily drag him back to sit against the wall of the restrooms. “Breathe.” I quickly pull my phone out and send Luna a text, telling her to come to me as quickly as possible with a simple _Come here!_being the only words. She will be able to find me very well on her own. I just hope Amber doesn’t come with her.

_I’ll be there in five._

I sigh, knowing we may not have that much time before he really starts to freak out. “Hey, I need you to take some deep breaths.” I instruct, holding the sides of his face so he was looking me in the eyes. In just a second, their color changes into golden-yellow, the pupil almost a dot in the middle of the iris.

“You need to leave.” he says, panicking.

I shake my head. “No, I need to stay. I’m trying to help you, so cooperate.”

His strange eyes meet mine. “This isn’t normal, babe.” He laughs wryly, also shaking his head. “I don’t think you’re gonna be able to stop it with some medical training.” He obviously thinks I’m some doctor who happened to stumble upon him in this situation. He obviously doesn’t even realize we go to the same school.

“Yeah, I know that, dickwad.” I spit at him, straddling him to hold him in place. His eyes grow wide, probably a mix of shock at my sudden annoyance and the fact that I was straddling him in this situation. “I guess you know what’s going on then, genius?”

He looks at me, unsure, but he soon screws his eyes shut as another wave of pain and broken bones hits him. “Yeah, I do! At least, I think I do.”

“Well, so do I.” I explain, trying not to snap at him again, even though his legs are trying to crush me between his torso and his muscular thighs. “Stop trying to curl up! I’m right here!” I shout, failing to keep my cool for very long. I breathe but don’t give myself time to do much more than that before delving straight into it. “Look, you’re transforming. You have a werewolf gene, it’s been in your family since the beginning, and it was triggered just now when you… killed him.”

“I didn’t mean to!” he yelled, still in pain but not just on the outside, nor the inside, since every part of his body is convulsing, but also mentally.

“I know that, but that doesn’t mean anything.” I say, but I know he already knows this.

“Krystal!” I look up, finding Luna standing above me and this boy. “What are you—?”

“I’m trying to hold him down.” I sigh, gesturing with a nod of my head for her to sit beside us. “Now, Luna, I’m not sure how to explain this, but I need you to stop what is happening to him as quickly as you possibly can.” She just looked at me, obviously scared but also excited to learn something new. “Just put both of your hands on him – somewhere, anywhere, it doesn’t matter – and stop this transformation.”

She does as I instructed, concentrating as best she can, but she also asks, “Transformation?”

“He triggered his werewolf gene just now. I’ll explain later. He’s transforming into a werewolf. We have to stop it from happening, or everyone here, especially me and Amber, will be in danger.” I explain quickly, bringing one of my hands up to his chin, my fingers pressing his lips together, and forcing his head back until it’s pressed up against the bricks, effectively closing his mouth. My next words are intended for him. “Don’t fight me.” I warn, placing my other hand over his nose, cutting off his other airway.

His eyes are immediately wide in fear, possibly anger, but he can’t move. Luna is still doing her best to stop the transformation, blood trickling out of her nostril. I hate to push her, but there isn’t any other way. She whispers under her breath, probably the mantra I taught her. _Concentrate. Control. Connect. _Concentrate on what she’s trying to do, control the magic, and connect with the energy inside of her.

His movements slow considerably, but I can’t tell if it’s from the magic or because he can’t breathe. When I feel his pulse slow to a dangerously slow beat, I let go of him, letting him suck in as much oxygen as he wants. His eyes open wide, revealing deep brown, normal irises with normal pupils. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Good job, Lu.” I whisper, not moving away from the boy. He stays quiet, staring up at me with those big brown eyes. I look him deep in the eyes and say, “_Sleep_.” and he immediately falls into a deep slumber. His head falls back and I stop it from hitting the bricks with my hand, pulling him a bit closer. It must be the relief. No werewolf.

“What now?” Luna asks, still quiet, seemingly afraid to move.

“Now…” I think for a minute. I have to make sure he doesn’t ever transform, which would mean I have to communicate with him, make him understand, and get Luna ready to enchant a moonlight amulet, which could take weeks. “We take him back to my house.” I say, decided.

Luna is obviously confused, but she doesn’t say anything else, getting up and wiping off as much dirt from her legs as she can. I stand and pick him up easily, gesturing for Luna to lead me to the car.

“We’re kidnapping—”

“No, we’re saving him.”


	5. Lapis Lazuli et Kyanite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krystal and Luna talk options concerning Kai...

**LAPIS LAZULI AND KYANITE**

** Friday, September 27, 2017 **

It has been over an hour since we arrived at my house. The boy is still in a compulsion-induced state of unconsciousness that he won't wake up from until I want him to. Since an important part of my plan for the werewolf involves her (and because she is my best friend), I used this time to inform Luna of our situation.

"He's a werewolf." I tell her, point-blank, as Luna poured herself some tea. I sat comfortably at the kitchen table, trying my best to not fidget with slight hunger. I hate to feed around Luna, though she always says she doesn't mind. She may be my best friend, but she is still a witch – a human – and witches and vampires don't traditionally get along well, on account of Nature hating the very existence of vampires and witches being the faithful servants of the Balance of Nature. Having not been raised in a coven, Luna doesn't exactly feel very strongly in this way, but I know there is a part of her that is repelled by me. 

She turned, looked at me, and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yeah, I know that. What I don't know is why you brought him back here, to your house. Why is he sleeping in your bed?" she questioned, finally sitting down across from me. 

"Well, Lu, I don't know if you've ever heard, but werewolves and vampires don't exactly get along." I began, listening carefully for any sound, any sign, that the boy was somehow awake. I knew he couldn't be, but it was hard to let my guard down with a sworn enemy in my house. "Werewolves are basically hardwired to kill vampires on sight in their wolf form, though they are also known to kill humans." I explained.

"Why?" she asked, and I wasn't sure what exactly she was referring to, so I just guessed.

"Well, it's more a class thing than a natural hatred, unless they're in their werewolf form - then it _is_a natural, instinctual hatred. Vampires feel more entitled, often fight amongst ourselves, and tend to be much more evil than werewolves. On the other hand, werewolves are usually pretty down-to-earth, loyal to their own kind and the people they care about, and are mostly benevolent. We've just been taught that we don't get along." I stopped to think for a moment. "Also, vampires are more powerful than werewolves for the most-part. Vampires are immortal, they do not age, whereas werewolves do age, they die like humans do."

"Is that it?" Luna asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I guess vampires are also wary of werewolves because their bite is lethal to us. It makes us hallucinate to extreme levels and, eventually, it kills us." After that, I stayed quiet and so did Luna. 

Finally, though, she broke the silence. "So why have you let him in your house?"

I laughed. "He's practically harmless to me in his human form. It's his werewolf form that I have to worry about. Whether he wants to or not, he will do everything in his power to kill me because I'm a vampire. Not just me, but also Amber and any other vampire in the vicinity. Once he's rid the area of us, he'll just prey on humans under full moons."

She just stared at me. "Yeah, but why is he here...?"

Again, I laughed. "You see this?" I held up my hand and let my sunlight ring glimmer in the dull light of the kitchen. It is a simple gold band set with a tiny lapis lazuli gemstone in the middle, where the magic really is, and though it is simple, it is beautiful and extremely powerful. Without it, I would burn if any UV rays were to touch my body. 

Luna, of course, has asked about it before, so she knows what it is, has seen it every day. "That's your sunlight ring." she responded, a bit confused. 

"Similar to sunlight rings, werewolves are affected by moonlight amulets. The amulet stops their transformation on the night of a full moon as long as they wear it." I explained.

Realization dawned on Luna's face. "So you want to keep him here until you can give him an amulet?"

"Basically, yeah. Moonlight amulets are powerful and take a lot of magic to enchant." I smiled at her, trying to look reassuring, trying to make her believe that I had faith in her. In some ways, I do, but she still only just started learning about her powers a month before. "I need you to enchant one for me – for him. It won't be easy, but I think you can do it."

Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped a bit. "You really do?"

I nodded. "Yes, of course. Lu, you're one of the most powerful witches I have ever met, and you're still so young and inexperienced. If you set your mind to something, if you channel your magic and focus, you can do anything." That is something I actually believe, without a shadow of a doubt. Even with her inexperience and age, without a real mentor – another witch who can guide her in the best way – Luna is still amazingly powerful.

She smiled at me, taking my hand. "Thank you, Krys."

Now that business on Luna's end had been mostly taken care of, I needed to make sure of one more thing, and not a moment too soon because I heard a car door slam outside the house. "Lu, you can't tell Amber about this, about him." I said quickly, looking into her eyes so she knew how serious I was. "I don't know why I'm trying to help him, why I'm keeping him alive instead of just killing him, but I know Amber wouldn't do the same. She's more practical and doesn't like to waste time. She would kill him." I told her, suddenly getting serious. "Promise me you won't say _anything_to her about it. Not until we finish the moonlight amulet."

"I promise, Krys. I promise." She nodded, stone-faced. Hearing this cruel truth about Amber obviously wasn't something she wanted to hear, but she needed to know. 

"Krystal!" Amber called, coming in the front door and finding Luna and me sitting at the kitchen table, hopefully not looking suspicious, like we'd been talking about the werewolf upstairs in my room. "Hey, girls, I totally lost you both at the game. But we won, so it's all good!" she exclaimed, reminding me of how this night started. "I was thinking we could just all sleepover here tonight, if that's good with you, Krystal."

I squeezed Luna's hand, hoping beyond hope that she understood my message. She looked slightly confused, but she seemed to get it. "Actually, Amber, I need to get home. My parents wouldn't want me to... um..." 

"You know them, they're overprotective – with good reason." I laughed, trying to help her.

"Yeah." Luna laughed, too, making the two of us look suspicious, but Amber didn't seem to notice, too caught up in her own thoughts to see.

"Oh, well, that's fine." She didn't seem disappointed at all, rather unfazed. "Krys, can I talk to you real quick?"

"Um, sure... See you tomorrow, Luna?" I asked, getting up and following Amber into the living room. I waved goodbye behind me and heard the door close quietly. My heart was beating rapidly, instantly fearful of what Amber needed to tell me. I've been on edge like this for eleven years now, even longer than that. "What is it, Amber?" I asked, extremely gravely.

She smiled nervously, knocking me playfully on the shoulder. "It's not anything bad, Krys." she replied, shaking her head. "I just wanted some advice."

Immediately, my heartbeat slowed and I smiled. "Oh, okay... but I need to ask you something, too." As a vampire, I have no inkling on how to enchant a moonlight amulet, much less what stone to use and where to get one. I'm hoping Amber will and that she won't be suspicious of me asking, too caught up in her own world to notice.

"Alright, you go first." she said, a bit jittery. 

"Luna was asking about my sunlight ring and she suddenly asked me if werewolves have sunlight rings, too. Of course, werewolves don't need sunlight rings because the sun doesn't affect them, but it made me wonder if they have rings that keep the full moon from affecting them...?" I asked, trying my best to sound clueless. Again, I'm hoping Amber won't remember that I'm just as knowledgeable as she is about the existence of moonlight amulets.

She nodded quickly. "Oh, yeah."

I nodded along with her. "How do they make those?"

She thought for a moment before saying, "Moonlight amulets are made with black kyanite gemstones set in silver." As soon as she started, I knew I had succeeded. Amber was actually pretty good friends with a werewolf who travels through Europe a lot, a boy I'm friends with, as well. Amber, being curious about everything, asked him about the creation and use of moonlight amulets, though I was less comfortable asking about it. In the werewolf community, the choice to not transform is a divisive one, some believing it is cowardly to not transform, some believing they will be more powerful if they transform, and some not believing that the pain and torture of transformation is worth any possible affects. 

"Ah, same as daylight rings, right?"

"Yeah, the same concept. There is an ancient spell they enchant the stone with. The spell gives a werewolf the ability to control their transformations –"

"Wait, the rings don't completely stop the transformation?" If the boy could control his transformations, he could easily betray me, whether his intention is innocent or not. Werewolves do not have control when they are in their wolf form, not even if they can supposedly 'control' their transformation. They control when it _happens_but not what they _do_.

"The original spell used to make moonlight amulets only prevented a werewolf from having to turn, which meant they didn't turn at all if they wore the ring. The spell has been modified since, so werewolves are able to control their transformations." she replied, still not suspecting anything.

"Where is the spell?" I'm guessing you can't just look something like that up on the Internet. 

Then she quirked one eyebrow. "Why are so interested?" Then she smirked. "Are you thinking of going to see Tae—"

"No!" I exclaimed, embarrassed. "Of course not!" A slight blush crept over my features.

"Look, I'll give you his new number so you can call and ask _him _about all this, okay? I know you just want an excuse to talk –"

"Okay, just give me his number." I gave up, realizing that I could definitely use my werewolf contact to get more information without running the risk of alerting Amber to the werewolf in my bed.

She scribbled down his number, beginning to tell me about her own dilemma. "So there's this girl who I think might be interested in going out with me." she began, not meeting my eyes even when she stood up straight to give me the piece of paper with the phone number on it. "But she's friends with someone I don't think would want her to date me." She scratched the back of her neck. "See, her friend is really controlling and is kinda scary, so I think this girl might actually not date me because of her friend and—"

"Hold up, Amber." I held up a hand, the one holding the phone number. "You're a vampire. A vampire who is over two-hundred years old. This 'friend' – who I'm guessing goes to school with us – is a human. Why are you so afraid of her friend that you can't go after this girl?"

Amber rolled her eyes, still not looking at me. "I just don't want any drama, okay? And I want this to be as real as it can be without her knowing too much about me." she explained, staying vague.

"And what do you want me to tell you?" I asked, becoming slightly impatient. 

"I just want to know if you think I should really pursue this girl or if I should just back off."

"Honey, I think you should totally go for it. There's no time like the present and you have nothing holding you back." I advise, linking my arm in hers and heading for the front door. "You're a vampire and you're totally hot. If she doesn't want to betray her friend, then she's a bitch that doesn't deserve you. Okay?" I tried to stay positive, but I failed toward the end, letting my irritation get the best of me. Honestly, I was eager to text my werewolf friend so I could get this spell and get this other werewolf boy out of my hair.

"Okay... Thanks, Krys." Amber smiled at me, bringing me in for a hug. Suddenly, a door opens upstairs and I know that if I heard it, so did she. Immediately, she's on guard. "Is there someone else here?" She starts for the stairs, not using her ability to go fast, which I'm grateful for.

"Uh, it must be Luna. Don't you have to go, Amber?" I stuttered out, not really keeping my cool. She gives me a confused look but backs off anyway. We've known each other for long enough to know when to give the other space. Now, Amber needed to give me mine. 

"Yeah, I do. Have a nice night, Krys." She was tense and seemed a bit hurt but my secrecy, but she still left willingly and easily. I make sure to listen for her car to start and drive away before I bound upstairs, knowing Luna left a long time ago.


	6. Deux Peuvent Jouer À Ce Jeu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krystal introduces Kai to his new world as well as to hers...

**TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME**

** Friday, September 27, 2017 **

So here we are, an hour after I’d arrived home with the werewolf boy and Luna.

When she left, I know Amber hadn’t believed me when I told her the noise was probably just Luna, both of us having heard her get in her car and leave. Amber only left because it was obvious I wanted her to go, that I didn’t want her to help me investigate, which means she’s probably suspicious. Meanwhile, I know it can’t be Luna and there’s only supposed to be one other person in this house, and he is unconscious – or, he’s supposed to be.

When I reach the top of the stairs, I see my bedroom door is open and so is the door to the bathroom directly across the hall. For a second, the thought enters my head that this could be someone who means me harm. Sua could be waiting mere feet away, ready to stake me through the heart. _You know she wouldn’t kill you that quick, stupid_, I thought to myself. No, Sua would much rather cut me up into little pieces or hang me by a noose and kill me over and over again. She won’t let me off easy.

I creep further through the narrow hallway, listening intently. I hear a heartbeat, the pulse racing. That is my first sure sign this isn’t Sua – unless she’s that excited to get her hands around my throat. Next, I hear a sharp intake of breath and the sound of clammy fingers gripping something metal. Definitely not Sua.

I straighten up and stop where I am, noticing the shadow underneath my open door. I smile to myself before I sigh and put on a straight face.

“I know you’re there.” I say calmly, putting up my hands in surrender. Obviously, I don’t want to hurt this boy or I would’ve done so by now. If he tries to put up a fight, things could get ugly, so I’ll play nice. “You don’t have to hide, sweetie.” Nice, albeit condescending.

“What, you’re not going to try and suffocate me again?” he asks, trying to sound braver than he feels but ultimately telling me that he’s fearful of me.

“I was only trying to get you to stop moving so much. Luna couldn’t stop the transition if you kept trying to push her off.” I explain, crossing my arms over my chest.

Still, he crouches behind the door. “I wasn’t trying to push her off…” he pouts, gripping onto whatever metal ‘weapon’ he has in his hand. “And how did she stop what that was?” he asks, his guard up.

“Luna is a witch. She possesses magical powers.” I say simply, not giving him more information than he asked for, which probably frustrates him to no end.

He groans. “Yeah, I get that, but _how_? Witches aren’t real.”

I laugh, not being able to stop myself. “They’re as real as you are.” I say, taking a silent step closer on the carpeted floor.

“What is that supposed to mean?” he asks, his pulse steadily decreasing to a normal rate.

“If you would just come out from around the door and let go of whatever it is you have in your hands, I’ll tell you.” I bargain, shifting my weight to one hip and readjusting my arms across my chest. “You’ve seen me, babe. You know I couldn’t hurt you if I tried.” I lie, trying to sound innocent and sweet.

He sighs. “Look, I’m not stupid.” He stands, dropping a metal rod onto the floor with a _thunk_. It looks like the stand to my floor lamp… “I know you aren’t normal, just as much as I know I’m not.” He comes out from around the door, still in his uniform that I didn’t bother to take off any part of. His hair is a mess and the clothes are muddy and I silently curse myself for laying him down on _my bed_. What was I thinking? “I know that if you wanted to, you could kill me at any second.” he admits, shoulders slumping. “I’m just hoping you won’t.”

“I don’t plan to.” I say, giving him my best smile. I’m not good at being comforting and I’m definitely not good at being friendly, especially with people I don’t even know the name of. I take a few steps forward and he seems to brace himself for some sort of impact, but I stop a few inches away from him. “I’m Krystal.” I extend my hand, trying to convince him I’m trustworthy with one simple gesture._Ha_.

He gulps and takes my hand, shaking it slowly and gently, like he thinks squeezing any harder could either break or provoke me. “I’m Kai.”

“Why did you intervene?” he asks, looking down at his crisscrossed legs. He is sitting on my floor while I sit on my bed, mostly because he didn’t feel like pushing the boundaries between us. “You could have let him kill me. Then I wouldn’t be a problem for you right now.”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I just didn’t want you to die.” I say, not making much sense. Truthfully, I don’t know why I stopped the other boy from killing him either. “I guess something just told me that I shouldn’t let you die.” I continue, hoping I sound a bit smarter than I feel. It doesn’t make much sense why I let this werewolf live, which is obviously more of a problem for me than if I’d let him die. Now I have to make sure he doesn’t transform in order to protect myself and Amber, not to mention the rest of the population of Evergreen.

“Well, whatever the reason… thanks.” he mumbles, still looking down at his legs. He is still dressed in his football uniform, not having anything else to wear. It’s not like I can let him leave until I’m sure he isn’t a threat to me anymore, but he knows that, having listened to my explanation and taking it pretty well. He acted a bit defiant at first, but he knows I’m the one who ultimately has the power.

I don’t respond to him, instead crossing over to my dresser and taking out a pair of silk pajamas, ready to sleep for the night.

“Hey, uh, where do you want me to sleep?” he asks, finally looking up at me as I’m about to leave the room. “I’m kind of a mess and we, uh, don’t really know each other that well anyway…”

I roll my eyes. “Hold on.” I cross the hall to the bathroom and pull on my clothes quickly.

What he needs is a pair of shorts, I’m guessing – the bare minimum I can offer him. I’m not willing to let him out of my sight for very long, meaning he can’t sleep anywhere but in my bed, so he can’t be naked. I scurry to the hamper, hoping Amber left behind a pair of shorts the last time she stayed over. She loves to wear oversized clothing, mostly boyish in style, so a pair of her loose shorts should fit Kai.

At the bottom of the hamper lies a pair of Amber’s shorts hopefully close enough to his size. I grab them and head back across the hall, closing the door to my bedroom behind me. His eyes widen and his cheeks fill with color because he has no idea what will happen.

“Calm down, I just hate to sleep with the door open.” I say, tossing him the shorts. “See if those fit.”

He looks at the shorts and scrunches up his nose but doesn’t say anything. He gets up and moves toward the door that I’m standing in front of, confused when I don’t move out of the way. I’m much too cautious to let him out of my sight, knowing he could dash at any moment. I really just don’t want to drag him back here. “Can I go change?” he asks, cocking his head to the side slightly.

“You can change, yeah. Right here.” I reply, cocking my head to the side, too, teasing him. I smile. “I won’t look. I promise.”

He smirks. “Fine.”

He starts taking off his football uniform, not moving from his spot a foot away from me. He pulls off his cleats, tossing them away, not bothering to save my carpet from the mud caked onto the bottoms. Next go the padded pants, revealing the white long-johns beneath, which hug his legs nicely. He takes the jersey off next, along with the shoulder pads, leaving him in only a tight, white undershirt. The sleeves are muddy and his pants are, too, sticking to his skin.

All the while, I haven’t moved from the door. He may be shameless, but so am I. I have been shameless for over two hundred years.

When I don’t move like he thought I would when it got down to his undergarments, he shrugs, pulling the tight clothes off. He really is nicely built, lean muscles curving deliciously beneath his tan skin. He isn’t too bulky, isn’t too lanky, either, but the perfect balance between the two.

He stands there in just his briefs, the bulge beneath them admittedly impressive, and looks me in the eyes. “Like what you see?” he asks, smirking again. He expects me to blush and get embarrassed like the other girls we go to school with.

I bat my eyelashes. _Two can play at this game._“You’re not bad, I’ll admit.” I confess, making his cheeks burn a darker pink than before. He laughs a bit nervously and pulls on Amber’s shorts, the cotton wrapping tightly around his thighs and waist. I smile and walk past him, making sure to get a good look at the shorts from behind. They’re baggy on Amber but tight on him – deliciously so. “Not bad at all.”

He turns around quickly, his face still pink, and glares at me playfully. He doesn’t speak, though, and I know I’ve won. He follows me, unsure still if I’m going to make him sleep in the same bed as me. My bed isn’t small, it’s king-sized, so there is plenty of room for the two of us with enough space in between.

“You want me to sleep in here, with you?” he asks, point-blank.

I nod. “Yeah.” I reply, getting settled in under the covers. He slowly walks over to the other side, probably contemplating running away. “I mean, I could handcuff you, but I think I’ll settle for telling you not to try to leave. As you already know, I really can’t have you running freely around town, transforming on the night of the full moon every month.”

He laughs, also nuzzling under the covers. “Yeah, I know. Just don’t make any moves on me, vamp.”

“Not planning on it.” I turn the lamp next to me off, sending us into darkness save for the moonlight filtering in through the crack in the curtains. “Sleep well, Kai.”


	7. Full Moon Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krystal contacts an old friend-turned-flame and pays a visit to the local mineral shop with Kai...

**FULL MOON BEGINNINGS**

** Saturday, September 28, 2017 **

As soon as I wake up on Saturday morning, I notice I am not alone, which immediately throws me off guard. The next thing I notice is that whoever is in my room with me is right beside me, snuggling up against my back, their breathing soft. Taking a moment to calm myself down, I tell myself that Sua wouldn’t sleep in my bed with me before killing me, so I am safe. Once I’m sure this isn’t her, I remind myself who this actually is: Kai, the football-player-turned-werewolf I brought home with me last night.

Mentally, I recoil at the realization that he is right next to me, in my bed, close enough for me to feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. Physically, I shiver pleasantly, liking the feeling of warmth he brings and how he pushes away the loneliness I always feel now. I am never close to anyone, not like this, and even though this boy is a complete stranger to me, I can’t help but take comfort in his presence.

After enjoying his warmth for a few moments, I quietly scoot out of my bed, leaving him to sleep. I need to text my werewolf friend and find out what he knows about the moonlight amulet spell. Today is Saturday and we both need to be back at school Monday morning, so I need to get this amulet enchanted before then. Getting the right spell will be the first step, the second will be getting Luna ready to perform it, the third will be gathering the supplies we need, and the fourth will be successfully creating a moonlight amulet for Kai.

Almost five years ago, Amber and I met a young werewolf, Taemin, a boy who was the same age Kai is now, while we traveled through Europe. Admittedly, he and I had a slightly flirtatious relationship that didn’t end very well, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind helping me, especially since it would also be helping another werewolf.

I take a deep breath and send the first message to his number, hoping he's able to see it and respond quickly: _Taem, it's Krystal. I really need to get my hands on the original moonlight amulet spell, the one that completely stops all transformations. If you could just help me out with this, I'll be out of your hair as soon as I possibly can be._

The reply, surprisingly, is immediate: _Not someone I was expecting to hear from and definitely not something I think she would ask. You were always so opposed to talking about anything having to do with my kind. Why do you wanna know now?_

I groan, having expected him to make this more difficult than it needs to be. It's not like I can tell him the real reason why I need the spell, so I need to make something up, something close to the truth: _I'm trying to help a witch practice her craft, and I know the moonlight amulet spell is a difficult one, so I want her to try casting it._

When I don't receive a response within the next minute, I put my phone down, trying to think about how to best gather the needed elements for the amulet. I know the most convenient jewelry to wear all the time is a ring, like my own. I'll have to buy one made of real silver, which should be easy enough to find at the mall or a jeweler. To get black kyanite, however, will be slightly harder, especially if I want it quickly.

I search the Internet for places that sell black kyanite. Not many do, especially the larger companies and brands that sell engagement and wedding rings – apparently, no one wants a black kyanite ring to commemorate their love, surprisingly enough. There are plenty of websites on which I could order some black kyanite, but I need this gem today, preferably. Finally, a find a local store, Full Moon Beginnings, that sells black kyanite clusters and will hopefully make me a suitable ring for Luna to enchant.

On the table, my phone vibrates, Taemin finally having texted me back: _You’ll need the blood of a werewolf who doesn’t turn under a full moon._

Helpful. Very helpful, Taemin. My next question: _What werewolf doesn’t turn under a full moon?_

_A pregnant werewolf doesn’t turn under a full moon. A hybrid doesn’t turn under a full moon. Find one of these for your spell._

Where the hell am I going to find a pregnant werewolf willing to give me, a vampire, her blood? I groan, typing out that exact question and sending it to Taemin. Again, his response is not immediate, so I give him some time, putting my phone in my pocket and going upstairs to my bedroom.

Kai is still asleep, snoring slightly into one of my pillows, his hair tussled and sticking up in places, and even in sleep, he looks handsome. He has a nice jawline, full lips, sculpted cheekbones, a slightly wide but flat nose, and pretty eyes. I don’t know him at all, but I have to admit, he is very good-looking.

I get dressed quickly, not bothering to leave the room or hide in case he wakes up. I want to get started on this moonlight amulet as soon as possible, so I’ll be going to Full Moon Beginnings today. Since I don’t want to let him out of my sight, I’ll have to bring Kai with me, but finding clothes for him will be difficult unless I allow him to get some of his own.

I climb onto the bed, sitting on my knees right next to his sleeping form. I touch the tan skin on his back, almost recoiling when I feel how warm he is. I shake him quickly, drawing him out of whatever dream he was unconsciously smirking about. “Kai, wake up.”

He blinks up at me, his dark brown eyes sparkling with the freshness of waking up. “You need somethin’, beautiful?” he asks, the smirk he had before returning to his lips.

I swat at him, sliding off of the bed to put some space between us. What a flirt. “Actually, yes. I have some errands to run and you’re going with me since I can’t let you out of my sight and all.”

Kai nods, sitting up and letting the covers fall, revealing his toned physique. As a football player, he has a healthy body, all lean muscles and golden, tan skin. “Yeah, I get it, but you can’t really think I’m about to go out wearing these shorts and nothing else. I’ll need clothes.” he states, scooting to the edge of the bed and swinging his long legs over the side.

“No, I don’t. I’ll drive you to your house, so you can pick up some clothes and other necessities. The moonlight amulet won’t be ready until late tomorrow, so you’ll be staying the night again.” I reply, pulling on a pair of flats and tying my hair back into a low ponytail.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, Taemin’s response: _Your best bet will be the wolf pack that lives on Ebner Lake. Tell them you’re an old friend of mine. They _might _help you._

“Your boyfriend?” Kai asks, suddenly peering over my shoulder, his chest pressed against my back.

I snatch my phone out of sight, putting it back in my pocket. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I retort, grabbing my purse and walking downstairs.

He follows, right on my heels. “I live on Tafton Street if you know where that is.” he says, sliding into the passenger seat of my car. “But I’d rather you just take me to my friend’s house on Glendon Circle. It’s closer and his parents won’t be home since it’s Saturday and all. Chanyeol’s parents love to go out and do things.”

I, of course, know every twist and turn in Evergreen, so I know where Tafton Street is, and I definitely know where Glendon Circle is, only a few miles to the north. I start driving that way, not really curious as to whose house I’m driving him to; none of his friends are friends of mine, so I have nothing to worry about.

He tells me anyway, though I didn’t ask. “I mean, he’s about my size – a little taller, but not much – so he should be able to lend me some clothes. Hopefully, he’s home and not at Baekhyun’s house…” Kai muses, not seeming to mind the fact that he’s sitting in the front seat of my car in only a pair of Amber’s shorts, which are tight on his thighs, where anyone can see him. I remind myself of his little stunt last night; he’s not the most bashful guy in the world, not by a long shot. “But if he is, Baekhyun’s house is only two houses down. They’ve been best friends forever, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re hanging out or something.”

Five minutes later, we pull up in front of his friend’s house. He pulls out his phone, which I didn’t know he even had, and texts his friend.

“Yeah, he’s home.” Kai nods, looking down at the screen. “I’ll be right back, I promise.” he says, opening the door and quickly walking up to the door.

“Oh, no, no, no. I’m coming with you.” I say, exiting the car, too, and ending up right beside him in a matter of seconds.

“Whoa, okay, babe.” He laughs, not slowing down because he’s obviously eager to cover himself up. “Don’t use your vampire powers around here, alright? I really rather Chanyeol not know about this supernatural side of me.”

I roll my eyes. “Believe me, I’m not going to expose you or myself.” I laugh. “I’ve been doing this for over two hundred years, I think I know how to lie low.”

Kai looks at me, his eyes wide. “Over two-hundred years?” he asks as we reach the door. “You’re _that_old?”

I scoff. “Yeah, I am _that_old.” I reply. “Now, shush.”

The door swings open, revealing a boy only about an inch taller than Kai, with ears that stick out and bright, red hair. He obviously just got out of bed, but he seems to be completely awake. I notice he also looks a bit nervous, not fully opening the door, possibly because of my presence, but it could be something else.

“Hey, Kai.” the boy, Chanyeol, says, smiling awkwardly. “What do you need?” Finally, the boy looks at Kai, really looks at Kai for the first time, and sees that his friend is only wearing a pair of tight shorts and nothing else, not even shoes. He looks back up at the both of us with an eyebrow raised, still nervous but also interested.

Kai doesn’t seem to notice Chanyeol’s nerves, or if he does, he doesn’t acknowledge them. “I need to borrow some clothes.” Kai says, grabbing my hand and pushing past Chanyeol.

“Sure, but who is she?” he asks, more nervous now that we had entered his house.

“Oh, this is Krystal.” Kai replies, waving off the question. “She’s helping me study for a test.” The explanation doesn’t exactly explain why he’s dressed the way he is, but Chanyeol doesn’t say anything else. “I need a t-shirt, some sweats, a pair of shoes, and some shorts to sleep in.” Kai says, bounding up the stairs and dragging me along behind him.

“Wait!” Chanyeol exclaims, blocking the door to his room. “Baek is here and he’s still sleeping, so you need to be quiet, okay?” Kai just nods, unconcerned, and waits for Chanyeol to let us into his room.

While Chanyeol silently gathers the clothes Kai asked for, I can’t help but look at the other boy fast asleep in the queen-sized bed. He’s burrowed into the covers, his white hair the only part of him I can see. I can only infer, judging by the smell in the room and the nervousness Chanyeol is exhibiting, that something slightly more intimate than ‘hanging out’ has been going on between them. Kai, however, is oblivious to the signs and he doesn’t know how to hone his superior sense of smell yet. Ignorance is bliss.

Chanyeol finds a t-shirt, some sweatpants, a pair of shorts, and some shoes for Kai to borrow, making him promise to wash the clothes and return them by Tuesday. Kai agrees, and we leave after he changes into the t-shirt, sweatpants, and shoes. I don’t say anything about his friends, deciding it’s not my place to meddle and pry. If they haven’t said anything to Kai, then they must not want him to know.

Stepping into Full Moon Beginnings, I see that every wall is lined with shelves holding different stones and crystals. In the middle is the cash register and one woman sits there reading a book. The amount of color in the store is breathtaking, but I can’t let myself get distracted.

I walk up to the register, Kai following right behind me, and clear my throat. The woman looks up, a look of concentration falling into a welcoming smile. “How may I help you today, young lady?” she asks, closing the book she was reading and straightening up in her chair.

I have never been good at seeming friendly, so I don’t try now, instead just saying, “I need you to make a ring for me.”

She raises an eyebrow, taken aback by my aggressiveness. She looks at Kai, but he must not offer her anything because she shrugs. “And what kind of ring do you need?”

“A simple one; a silver ring with black kyanite set into it.”

The look on her face changes from one of astonishment to interest quickly. “Black kyanite… Silver ring… Are you looking to make a moonlight amulet, vampire?”

Behind me, Kai tenses up, but I stand my ground, not at all surprised that she could sense what I am. I knew from the moment we walked inside this lady wasn’t a simple human. And if she knows about the moonlight amulet spell, she must be a werewolf. “Actually, yes, I am. It’s for him.” I reply, nodding toward Kai.

His eyes widen. “What the—?”

The woman smiles, waving his question off. “I already knew, son.” She stands and walks toward a door in the back, gesturing for us to follow her. “Luckily for you two, I have some ready. Do you have your own means of enchanting them?” She leads us into a back room that looks like a supply closet.

I am genuinely surprised she is being so helpful, ready to just give a potential moonlight ring to a vampire. Kai’s presence must be what reassures her of my trustworthiness, but I’m not sure why. “I have a witch, but I don’t have the required blood for the spell.” I admit.

She nods. “As I expected.” The woman digs around in a box and comes up with a ring, which she checks to see if it will fit Kai’s finger. It doesn’t, so she searches some more, finally finding one that fits him well. “That should do.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” I say, taking the ring and putting it in my pocket. “May I ask why you have so many of these rings?”

She smiles, leading us back into the main area of the shop. “A make them for my pack.” she explains, once again taking a seat at the register. “It’s a pretty large pack, so I like to have rings already made.” She levels her gaze at me, curious. “What are you doing helping a werewolf get a moonlight amulet?”

“I just want to make sure that I am safe.” I answer, deciding to tell her the truth. “How much?”

She shakes her head. “I gave it to you to help him, one of my kind.” she says, looking at Kai. “It has been a long time since one of your family needed my help.”

He is immediately confused. “What do you mean?”

“Boy, don’t you know that the werewolf gene has been in your family since the beginning of it?” she asks, smiling at Kai fondly. “Your father hasn’t triggered it, but your grandfather did, and his father before him and so on. In fact, your family was a part of my pack until your father decided he didn’t want anything to do with the supernatural.” she explains.

“My father?” he asks, the look of betrayal obvious on his handsome face.

“Yes, your father.” She shrugs. “I don’t know why, but not everyone is cut out for this kind of life.”

“So, my family was a part of your pack. Are we related?” Kai asks, looking slightly hopeful.

The woman smiles, reaching out and taking his hand. “Not in any way other than once sharing a pack, but I knew your grandfather, as well as your father before he left the community.” Her grip on his hand falls and she looks at me, sighing. “I entrust this boy to you, vampire.” she says, her voice grim and her expression hard. She takes out a vial containing a thick, dark red fluid. “The blood of a werewolf who doesn’t turn on the full moon.”

“Thank you.” I take it, clutching it close to my chest.

“The only reason I’m giving these supplies is that Taemin told me I could trust you.” she says, finally revealing why this was so easy.

I fight the urge to roll my eyes, begrudgingly thankful to Taemin for working so fast.

“Now, go.” she says, picking her book back up and flipping it open. “Try not to cause trouble.”

When we leave, the chimes on the door ring after us, sending a chill down my spine.


	8. Tu Es Tout Ce Que J'ai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kai makes a significant admission and Krystal reciprocates...

**YOU’RE ALL I HAVE**

** Saturday, September 28, 2017 **

"_Matera et lunare tua virtuse_... _Matera et lunare tua virtuse... Matera et lunare tua virtuse..._" Luna chants, her arms outstretched toward the table, above the three lines of salt protruding outward from the ring, completely encircled by more salt. On the salt, on the ring, inside the outer circle of salt, droplets of blood hit the tabletop, making only a small sound as they splatter onto the surface. I stand beside Luna, letting the blood drip slowly from the palm of my hand, trying not to think about how nice it would taste. Kai sits across from us, staring at the black kyanite ring as if something would visibly happen to it.

Luna breathes a sigh of relief, her chanting stopping immediately and a smile spreading across her face. "Your ring is done." she says to no one in particular. This ring is just as much mine as it is Kai's, what with the effort I've put into procuring it.

Kai immediately reaches forward and takes the ring, sliding it onto his finger without hesitation. "Should I feel different?" he asks, holding his hand out in front of him and admiring the quality of the ring.

"No, not really." I reply, heading into the kitchen and quickly washing the blood off my hand. "The only time you'll feel its effects are during the full moon when you would otherwise transition."

Luna pulls out the chair in front of her and sits down, obviously worn out from the spell. She groans and reaches out to massage her temples. "If that's all you need from me, I'd like to head home now, Krys." she says, smiling weakly at me.

"Of course, Luna, go get some rest." She has done plenty for me tonight, much sooner than I thought this would be. Convincing her parents to let her come over at such short notice when they had planned to do something together had been difficult for her, but they eventually agreed to let her come. After Kai and I left Full Moon Beginnings, we came back to my house and avoided speaking to each other until Luna could get here.

"I'll see you Monday, Krys." Luna says, standing up and walking to the front door.

"Bye, Lu." I say as she opens the door and steps into the cool night air. "See you Monday."

Once she's gone, I turn to Kai, almost wanting to keep my mouth shut but knowing that I said he could leave once he had the ring. "You can go, too. I'm sorry for holding you hostage this weekend." I say, starting to sweep the salt on the table into my hand, completely forgetting about the werewolf blood splattered on top of it. The smell catches me off guard and my fangs drop, letting me know my entire face has changed.

When a vampire is 'aroused' by blood - whether it be because they are hungry or because the scent has caught them off guard (as in my case) - their 'true face' is revealed. A vampire's true face is the face they are hiding underneath their human face. The sclera of their eyes turn dark, blood-red and the veins around their eyes protrude, blood pumping through them forcefully. Furthermore, the vampire's canines extend, revealing razor-sharp fangs that can rip through almost any substance.

A vampire's true face is, obviously, not that pretty; it's rather ugly and horrific, to be honest, which is why I hate when people see my true face. I see Kai's eyes widen, but he doesn't move away from me. Quickly, I regain my composure and step away from the table, going to the sink to wash my hands off again.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't stop it." I say, scrubbing at my hands furiously.

Kai gets up from his seat at the table, coming to stand next to me. He pulls my shoulder, making me face him, but there isn't anything to see anymore. I want to look away, but his dark brown eyes pull me in. He hesitates but decides to ask me anyway. "Can you... Can you do that again?" he breathes, a look of amazement plastered on his face.

"Do what again? The face?" I ask, incredulous.

He nods, gulping, and breathes in deeply, steadying himself.

I'm not at all sure why he wants to see my true face again. My true face scares even me. It is a reminder that I am not human, as I once was. It is a reminder that I am a monster, one that lives off of the blood of others. Even though I hate showing it, hate seeing it, hate the thought of Kai - of all people - seeing me in such a vulnerable, bare state, I let it seep through, feeling the blood pumping violently through the veins beneath my eyes, feeling my canines extending and pushing my mouth open slightly.

Kai just stares at me, forgetting I'm a monster, his natural enemy, and brings one of his hands up to caress my cheek, tracing the veins under my skin. Suddenly, he asks, "Does it hurt?"

"Does what hurt? Showing my true face?"

"No, does being bitten hurt?"

I let my human face take back over, my fangs sliding back up into my gums. "Only for a split second, before the endorphins are released." I answer, still not moving. I smirk slightly, letting my thoughts get the best of me. "Why? Are you planning on getting bit?"

He blushes, shying away from me, and turns around, not facing me anymore. "Just wondering, that's all." He sighs, turning back to face me, clearly feeling a bit torn, indecisive. "I know you said that after I got this—” he points at the moonlight amulet on his finger. “—I could leave, but I’d rather stay if you’d let me.”

_Oh, how bold_, I think, confused when I feel relieved myself. _Did I want him to stay?_

I pretend to think about it for a minute, knowing I would say he could and not really knowing why. Maybe it’s because he’s good-looking, or maybe it’s because I’m tired of being alone. Either way, I let him walk into my life so easily. I shrug, trying to act nonchalant but suddenly feeling kind of nervous. “I mean, you can if you want to.”

Kai smiles, small and genuine and kind of shy. “Cool.”

Wanting to tease him a bit and see how quick he can think of an excuse, I ask, “Why do you want to?”

He chuckles quietly and easily replies, “I don’t know how to be a werewolf. I’m not sure what’s real and what isn’t anymore. I don’t know who I am. I’m new to all of this, the supernatural stuff, but you’re not. I want you to help me, to teach me, if you can… You don’t have to, obviously, but you’re all I have.”

_You’re all I have_. The words hit me strangely, completely catching me off guard. I feel them in my chest, where my heart beats rapidly, pumping them through my bloodstream and spreading them throughout the rest of my body. The feeling is powerful, to say the least, and I feel a lump rise in my throat. I turn away from him quickly and try to seem nonchalant. “Yeah, I can help you. I’m really not sure how to be a werewolf either, but I think I know someone who can help shine some light on the situation.” I fight the lump in my throat, coughing a few times.

Either Kai doesn’t see my reaction, or he decides not to say anything about it, because he just sighs with relief and says, “Thanks, Krys – uh, Krystal. Sorry.”

I smile, turning back around. I nod. “You can call me Krys.” He smiles back at me. I look at the time, seeing how late it is and finally feeling the sleepiness tugging at my eyelids. “Come on, I’ll show you the guest bedroom.” I say, turning quickly so I don’t see his reaction. I hear a soft _oh_, but he doesn’t say anything more.

Getting Kai set up in the guest bedroom took all of five minutes. Soon, I’m lying in my own queen-sized bed, staring up at the ceiling. I can’t help but worry about how fond I’m becoming of him in such a short amount of time. I tell myself I shouldn’t be too surprised because a vampire’s emotions are so much stronger than any human’s. I’m also not used to moving slowly, having been taught by Sua that time is precious even if I have an unlimited amount of it.

People nowadays don’t tend to move very slowly either, used to having an entire world of information at their fingertips. I know only a little about Kai, Luna having mentioned a few rumors the night he almost transformed, but he definitely moves at a fast pace. There’s no way of knowing which rumors are true and which aren’t, but if the majority is to be believed, he’s had almost as much action in less than a decade as I have in two-hundred years.

Lying there alone, I think of how cheated I’ve always felt when it comes to romance and intimate relationships. Sua made sure I didn’t have anyone to talk to other than her, and I couldn’t possibly develop actual feelings for someone. If she ever got the slightest clue I might have liked someone other than her and Amber, we moved away if we could and if we couldn’t, I never saw them again, either because they were dead somewhere, or Sua told them to stay the hell away.

Remembering how isolated and controlled I was, I feel angry and protective over what I have now, over Luna and even over Kai. If I’m going to be happy and connect with someone, I need to start trying. Right now, Kai seems to be the one I want to try with, and if I’m going to try, I might as well take my time and do it right. Starting tomorrow.


	9. Fidélité. Passion. Confiance.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krystal receives a call from Taemin which reveals a few things about Kai's family's past. Krystal and Kai get closer during a slight time jump.

**LOYALTY. PASSION. CONFIDENCE.**

** Sunday, September 29, 2017 **

I wake up the next morning to the sound of my cell phone ringing, the caller ID showing a vaguely familiar number. I answer, knowing I’ve seen the phone number before and wanting to know who it belongs to. “Hello?” I ask, not willing to give up any more information than I have to. “Who is this?”

Whoever is on the other end of the line sighs deeply, chuckling softly before mumbling, “You’re exactly the same.” I can hear the slight disappointment and borderline relief in that voice, a voice I still recognize even after not hearing it for over ten years. He clears his throat and continues. “So, you’re hanging out with a werewolf now?”

“I just met him, Taem. I wanted to make sure he got a ring, so he wouldn’t turn, so he wouldn’t be dangerous to me and Amber.” I don’t know why I felt the need to defend myself against him, but the need was there, and I didn’t want him to get any ideas, for whatever reason. Taemin and I are over, and I don’t necessarily want him back, but I feel weird talking to him about a boy, much less another werewolf. “Hold on a second, how did you know about the werewolf? I told you I was helping a witch practice her craft.” I hadn’t realized it before, but the woman at Full Moon Beginnings had known I was coming. “What do you know and how did you find out?” I ask, slightly angry but mostly just annoyed that Taemin still knows me well enough to figure me out, to guess which steps I’ll take before I take them.

“I only know about the werewolf because Miss Song told me you brought him.” Taemin replies, sounding quite pleased with himself.

“Who is Miss Song? The lady—”

“Yes, the lady who owns and runs Full Moon Beginnings.” Taemin sighs. “She’s part of the Ebner Lake pack I referred you to, the pack you didn’t actually visit, and the pack that just happens to be mine, not that you would remember something like that.”

I groan. “Taem, I haven’t been around you in about thirteen years, when Amber and I left Paris in 2004.” I intentionally forget the time we met in New York City three years ago, because that really wasn’t a pleasant visit. “Why would I remember the name of your pack?” I ask.

“I don’t know, honestly. It’s not like we spent eight years in the City of Love together.” he says, his voice bitter. “I’m surprised you even remember my name or my voice.”

“Why wouldn’t I remember—"

“I didn’t call you to talk about us, Krys.” he cut me off, sighing again. “I just wanted to know why you’re helping Jongin.”

“Jongin…?” _Oh_. I’ve known the name he gave me has to be a nickname, but I never asked Kai for his birth name. “Why do you want to know?” I ask, feeling slightly annoyed that Taemin is still sticking his nose into my business.

“Because I know his family, obviously. We’re part of the same pack, though his father made sure to cut their family off from the rest of us.” he explained, sounding as annoyed with Kai’s father as I am with him. “So Kai triggered the gene and needed a ring, and you helped him get one because…?”

“Because I was there when he triggered it.” I blurt, realizing too late how much my attitude had soured. “And I can’t have a werewolf running around Evergreen in his wolf form on the nights of full moons. He’d be a nuisance, he’d try to kill me, which would mean I’d have to kill him, and I don’t want to.” It’s my turn to sigh now, hating to be rude to him. I haven’t been face-to-face with him since 2014, haven’t been _close_to him since 2004.

Within a few days of Amber’s phone call with Sua, we decided we needed to keep moving around, so we left Paris without much warning. The night of our departure, I finally told Taemin we were leaving, knowing he wouldn’t be able to accompany us due to the short notice and his obligations in the city. At the time, he was travelling with other werewolves, acting as the leader since he was the only alpha in the group. His duty was in Paris with those wolves, even if he wanted to follow me to North America. That night, we had a major blow-up, a huge fight that still isn’t really resolved. Amber and I left and Taemin stayed in Paris, angry at me because I was pushing him away and leaving him for what could very likely have been forever.

He finally tracked me down in 2014 when Amber and I were in New York City. The fight we had in Paris ten years before resurfaced, and Taemin ultimately decided to give up on me. The pain I’d felt when I left him originally came back even stronger and it took me a long time to feel okay again. Because of my relationship with Taemin, I’ve kept myself closed off from everyone, with the exception of Amber and Luna. 

Taemin laughs, but not out of humor. “Of course, you’d only help someone if you benefit from it. I was confused at first that you would do something like help a new werewolf get a ring out of the kindness of your heart, but it makes sense now.” 

“Enough, Taem.” I say before he can continue. 

“Fine, fine, I just want you to know that his father shouldn’t find out about this. I’m not sure what he would do, but it wouldn’t be good for Jongin.”

“Why does his father hate your pack and anything having to do with the supernatural? Miss Song mentioned it…”

Taemin sighs. “No one really knows. He left without much of an explanation. Afterward, he wouldn’t speak to anyone, not for any reason at all.”

Down the stairs comes Kai, wearing only the shorts his friend gave him. I feel my heart speed up just watching him, but I catch myself before he sees me staring at him. “I have to go, Taem.” I don’t make any promises because this could be the last time I speak to him as far as I’m concerned.

“Wait, Krystal!” he exclaims on the other side, sounding desperate.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time before, but I understand now. Please, just take care of yourself.” And before I can say anything in reply, he hangs up the phone in an effort to protect himself from getting hurt by me once again.

I look up at Kai sitting across from me at the table with a knowing, borderline teasing look on his face, his full lips pulled up into a smirk. I groan. “Let me guess,” I glare at him playfully. “You figured out your hearing?”

He nods. “I did. Actually, I figured it out last night when you were screaming my name in your sleep.” He laughs upon seeing my shocked expression.

“I did n—”

“Probably having some sort of nasty, pornographic wet dream about me—”

“Kai, shut up!” My skin is burning. “I did _not_dream about you.”

“I know, I know, I’m just teasing.” He smiles and it’s such a perfect smile, with the kind of pearly-white, straight teeth that would be featured in a toothpaste commercial. And, again, I’m dumbfounded by it, at a loss for words, and my expression is beyond dopey. Kai is obviously used to this sort of behavior from the girls at school who follow him around like lost puppies—and probably some of the guys, to be honest—and to pull it out of me couldn’t have been something he expected to achieve. He looks triumphant and somehow cockier than before.

“Well, my phone calls don’t concern you, so butt out.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Not for long…” He laughs, but I’m sure that it’s because he knows he makes my heart race for all the right reasons.

That kind of slip-up was the first of its kind and definitely not the last. Catching me off guard with his looks or his words was how Kai knew he was succeeding in pulling me in, making me curious about him, and wanting him even more. My feelings for Kai started out as a physical need, but as we spent more time together, I quickly found more things about him that I liked.

For one, he had one of the most basic, stereotypical werewolf traits: loyalty. Even after the first few days of us going back to school, Kai wanted to continue staying with me at my house, for whatever reason. He drove his car to my house and parked it in the driveway alongside my own. I drove him to school some days and he drove me on other days, but he always insisted on riding together. Some nights, we would be working on his will power and restraint because his heightened senses and emotions were something he would need to get used to, and he did really well, catching on quickly. Even when we were in the middle of a lesson of sorts and making real progress, he would make us stop so he could go and meet his friends and do whatever it was he’d promised to do with them. His shows of loyalty struck me and made me appreciate him, as someone who never could trust in and rely on anyone else. I felt like I could rely on Kai.

Secondly, he’s extremely passionate. He never misses a football practice nor a makeshift lesson between the two of us. When he sets his mind to do something, he is determined to follow through and do the best he can. Because Kai is a football player and the star quarterback on the team, he has to show restraint when running plays now because he has a supernatural advantage. If he runs too fast, he’ll draw unwanted attention to himself.

“Too fast, Kai, slow down. No human has ever run that fast—and you’re not even gasping for air! Give a little show next time. Make it look labored even if it isn’t!”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, _coach_.” he seethes as he slows to a stop after one test run. He bends forward and rests his hands on his knees. “I _am_actually a bit tired.”

“Not tired enough.” I say firmly. “Make me believe it, Kai.”

The next time he runs a lap around the house, he times it impressively but not too fast, which is exactly what he’s aiming for. He’s chuckling as he slows down beside me. “Yes, yes! That’s it! Perfect!” I laugh, too, and smirk, giving him a slight smack on the backside.

He straightens up and looks at me with a surprised look on his face, his pretty mouth hanging open a bit to allow him to breathe. His cheeks are tinged pink. “What was that for?”

I genuinely smile at him and laugh before saying, “Just some support from your coach, is all.”

Thirdly, I found myself falling for his confidence. I’ve always been a sucker for someone who looks good and knows it and Kai definitely fits that bill. For his entire life, he’s been told he looks good and has gotten plenty of the right attention from girls to solidify his self-esteem at an extreme high. A lot of his teasing and jokes picks at how his handsomeness pulls me in closer, sometimes physically. I feel some sort of magnetic pull toward him.

And as we get closer all the time, he gets more and more comfortable staying at my house. Comfortable enough that he’s bringing his personal things, like his charger for his computer and phone, his toothbrush, a good amount of his clothes and shoes, all in what was once a bathroom just for me and the guest room and I set him up in only four days before. I guess a lot ended up happening between us in less than a week, though it isn’t everything I want to be happening. I have to constantly remind myself that even though I could probably have everything I want whenever I want, I prefer to let Kai take the lead, to be sure I’m not forcing anything on him that he isn’t serious about.


End file.
